June 26, 2018
Charms were first recorded being worn in around 700 BC and maybe even before that were more than likely made from animal bones, shells, pieces of wood and even stones. It’s speculated that charms would have been worn to protect the wearer from evil. Amulets and pendants were also created and were associated with magic. Soon cultures began wearing these charms as everyday fashion pieces and even included stones and gems to create unique designs which were believed to have special powers.
The Egyptians used charms in their jewellery that used shapes and symbols we still see today, such as the Eye of Horus. These charms and bracelets were worn to protect those who were heading into the afterlife.
It’s no surprise that eventually kings and queens and even knights began using charms and amulets as decorative features. Similar to those in historic cultures, people in the middle ages wore charms to keep the wearer free from harm and would protect them from their enemies. By the Victorian Era, Queen Victoria had a glorious charm collection of her own, made out of gold, her charms were created to hold locks of hair and precious photographs. Charms of all types, glass beads, lockets and even family crests were attached to bracelets, watch chains and necklaces.
This trend spread quickly throughout Europe and the British Empire. It was then in 1889 Tiffany & Co launched a chain link which held a single heart pendant. Naturally as fashion and jewellery began to evolve, diamonds and metals were introduced to bring a whole new level to wearing charms and pendants.
From the 1950’s charms were now given to girls and young women who were celebrating a special moment in their life, particularly their 16th and 18th birthday but charms also starting becoming gifts to celebrate events from engagements to graduations. Charms and pendants were created to represent and celebrate many occasions and symbols such as horoscopes.
Charms have continued to evolve and since around 2002 they’re designs have changed to reflect trends and styles as you can find a lot of charms now in the style of beads, which can be made from gold, silver and a glass type material. Different colours and patterns have been introduced giving you a huge amount of choice to personalise your bracelet.
With the internet at our fingertips it’s much easier to find charms and pendants that really express who we are as individuals, there are hundreds of handmade charms as well as precious charms that have travelled through time and history to become a part of someone else’s story.
We think bracelet charms should be shared and cherished! Sharing a charm bracelet with a loved one, best friend or family member is a great way to add memories and even create them! If you’ve ever had a Best Friend necklace, you’ll remember how special it was to share something with someone you cared for, but how do you go about starting a charm bracelet?
Measure your wrist! The measurement you decide upon all depends on what bracelet you choose to purchase and how you want that bracelet to fit as different materials will fit differently on the wrist.
Take into consideration the space between your wrist and the charms and also the clasp of the bracelet, to ensure you choose the perfect fit.
If you’re sharing or having a charm collection for yourself, determine a budget. If you’re planning on adding multiple charms at once, be aware of how much you’re willing to spend as slowly adding charms over time can be more cost effective. If you’re happy with just the one charm to get you going, the next thing you’ll want to consider is the type of bracelet you’ll want to wear.
When selecting your bracelet, think about the things you do daily and what type of bracelet won’t get in the way of daily tasks, or if you’re buying a charm bracelet to wear for special occasions and events than you have more flexibility of the type of bracelet you could wear, so what are your options?
Traditional Charm Bracelets are usually made from different types of sterling silver, with an appearance of open chains linked together. This is a great choice if you’re looking to have lots of charms that have room to dangle.
European Charm Bracelets are much slimmer and modern, and have a braided appearance. These types of bracelets are perfect if you’re looking for something that can be worn day or night. These bracelets however, usually have specific charm beads that fit the bracelet but they create a neat style that can be customised with coloured and patterned beads.
Italian Charm Bracelets have a flat, square appearance, rather than round beads or icon charms, you can swap and change the plates of the bracelet, creating a unique and individual bracelet. These are perfect if you want to wear your bracelet daily, as they’re sleek on the wrist.
If you’re unsure what bracelet you want the most, discovering which charms you like the most will help you narrow down which bracelet you’re going to need. Take into consideration material types and if you want a mix of icon charms or bead charms. Depending on your budget you can choose from gold, silver and other metals. You may even want to mix metals to have a variety of colours, however if you’re planning on having icon charms, a common trend of charm bracelets is by picking one colour metal and mixing it with the colours of the other charms, which can give it a more uniformed appearance.
June 26, 2018
June 26, 2018
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